Christy Sears moved to Chicago nearly three decades ago, just two years out of college. She started her professional career in banking and pharma sales, giving her the skills for her future passion. “I worked directly with customers and clients in some form of sales, all a great foundation for a real estate career,” she says.
Sears’ first venture into real estate was the purchase of a Lincoln Square rowhome with her husband shortly after they were married, which they renovated and then sold. She recalls, “The real estate boom in the early 2000s was in full swing, and while I was already in sales, it seemed a good time to transition to a field that was focused on more of my interests, especially in design and architecture.” That creative flare has sustained Sears’ 17-year career, where she has honed her abilities in staging and design for listing prep, renovation projects, investment, second home investment and first-time buyers.
Since that first rowhome, Sears and her husband–now both members of Team Sears–have flipped homes in other Chicago neighborhoods, including Lincoln Park, Northcenter, Roscoe Village, Andersonville and Lakeview. She says, “It was a great way to learn about the neighborhoods, both positives and negatives.” Sears is a member of both the Chicago Association of Realtors and the Southwest Michigan Association of Realtors, and was inducted into Top Agent Network’s Top 10% of Chicago Agents. Team Sears won @properties Christie’s International Real Estate’s Top 100 agent award in 2015, 2016 and 2017 and Chicago Magazine’s “5 Star Agent Team” from 2011 to 2015. Sears primarily works on the north side of Chicago and in southwest Michigan. She describes her clientele as sophisticated first-time and repeat buyers who are looking for condos, townhomes, single-family homes, multi-units, second homes or investment properties.
Sears strives to ensure that her relationship with her clients goes beyond their expectation of a typical Realtor, making sure that each client feels informed every step of the process. “While I do lean heavily on my ability to connect with my clients, I have a very analytical approach to assessing value and putting together offers that make sense,” she says.
